Cervical Screening NSWCervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers—having a Pap test every two years is currently the best way to prevent it. Find out more about NSW Cervical Screening Program.

NSW Cancer Registry

Cancer Institute NSW

Published 1 February 2019

The NSW Cancer Registry (NSWCR) maintains records of people with cancer in NSW. The data captured within the registry provides useful insights into the impact of cancers, and how this has changed over time. Notification of new cancer cases and cancer deaths is required under the Public Health Act 2010.

The NSWCR is the first Australian population-based cancer registry to include data on cancer stage, treatment and quality of care. Treatment delivered in the majority of hospitals in the public sector is covered, with data from the remaining public hospitals and the private sector being included in the future.

Further expansion of the NSWCR to include a broader range of data items is planned.

Data coverage

The NSWCR contains demographic, incidence and death details for people diagnosed with cancer in NSW since 1972. It also includes these details for residents of NSW diagnosed with cancer in other Australian states and territories.

All primary malignant neoplasms, and in-situ melanoma and breast cancer are included.

The NSWCR contains clinical data relating to episodes of care for people treated for cancer in NSW. Clinical data are currently available for 2013, with additional data to be added as they become available. The NSWCR does not currently have population coverage of clinical data.

Data sources

Data are received from pathology laboratories, hospitals, radiotherapy and medical oncology departments, aged care facilities and the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

Electoral Roll data from the NSW Electoral Commission are provided to the Cancer Institute NSW for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy of records on people diagnosed with cancer.

Data submission

The Cancer Notification Portal enables the submission of notifications of cancer cases and clinical information to be provided to the Institute in an electronic format, by Private facilities, Aged Care Facilities and Outpatient Oncology Services.

Data availability

Incidence and mortality data:
A dataset is produced for each year, as soon as data collection and processing of all cancer cases and deaths is completed.

Incidence and mortality data are available for the following periods on request:
Most recent year: 2015
Next release: 2016 (due second half 2019)
Historical series: 1972–2015

Clinical data:
An updated clinical dataset will be released each time a new incidence and mortality dataset is produced. Additional releases may occur depending on data availability. Notification of additional data releases will be posted on our website.

Clinical data are available for the following periods on request:
Most recent year: 2013